1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatuses for suspending targets, and more specifically to apparatuses for suspending frangible targets for shooting practice.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to obtain practice in firing a weapon and to become proficient in shooting, it is typical for a shooter to fire weapons at targets positioned remotely from the shooter's firing position. In many cases, such targets are fixed. In other cases, the targets are in motion.
Fixed targets typically comprise a round target area or a figure profile, and are often comprised of paper attached to a standard target frame, either directly or via a cardboard backing. Moving targets are usually profiles located at a fixed remote position, but, often, comprise frangible objects flung through the air via a throwing mechanism. The frangible objects are typically disk shaped and are made from chalk, clay or similar materials.
In the former case of a fixed profile paper target, it is often difficult to determine where on the target a shot hit, and with very distant targets is often even difficult to determine whether the shot hit the target at all. However, with the latter case, because of the frangible nature of the target, it is usually quite easy to see that the target has been struck by a bullet or shot, because the target breaks apart, often quite spectacularly.
Thus, frangible targets are particularly suited to fixed use when it is desired to see immediate visual confirmation of a shot striking the target. In such a use, the frangible target is often held in a stand on which the target rests, or is supported via a wire or hangers that connect to a rigid or flexible frame, or is retained within cutouts in cardboard holders. In some instances, the target may even be stood upon the ground or secured by wire to a standard target frame.
With individual targets, the shooter must place each target when needed by standing, hanging, inserting, attaching, or otherwise connecting the target to a target holding device. When a new target is needed, the shooter must replace the no longer present original one, and must do so repeatedly as necessary. Putting up a new target takes up valuable range time, when a shooter would prefer to be practicing, rather than installing targets.
Moreover, existing target holders are often damaged or destroyed by a misplaced shot. When such occurs, the target holder must be replaced before the shooter can continue his/her practice or competition.
Existing target holding devices take up space and require setup time. When a shooter wants to vary his/her practice with both paper and frangible targets, the shooter must utilize separate target holding devices for each type of target.
When targets, such as flat paper profiles, are transported, they take up very little space. Frangible targets are often constructed in a shape for stacking one on top of the other to minimize space requirements when not in use. Both types of targets are typically sold separately from their supporting devices, inconveniencing the purchaser by having to go to different sources, and providing less benefit to a manufacturer than would be achieved by providing a combination product to a user.
Various attempts have been made to overcome some of the aforementioned deficiencies. One previous target holding device is a housing sleeve for storing frangible targets with mounting feature for hanging the housing sleeve. The housing sleeve is adapted to store multiple targets in a vertical orientation, with targets sitting one above the other, with the bottom target exposed. Once the exposed target is destroyed, the next target in line drops down into the exposed region. Movement of the targets within the sleeve is controlled by utilizing a disk-shaped stopping feature, such as a washer, which prevents the lowermost target from dropping below a certain point. Because the targets are contained within a sleeve, the sleeve impedes stacking of the targets in a volume-efficient manner before use. Thus, this device is best suited to separate installation followed by addition of discrete frangible targets once the sleeve is suspended. Moreover, this device lacks a means for suspension in other than a vertically-hanging aspect.
Another previous device comprises horizontal cords from which shooting targets are hung. However, the shooting targets must first be secured to a holding arm before being hung from the cord, as the cord and targets are not integrated.
Yet another previous similar device suspends the targets via an arm suspended from a horizontal rod. However, because the rod is stiff, it prevents an assembly of the rods and targets from being efficiently stacked to minimize volume during transport and storage.
Therefore, it is readily apparent that there is a need for a target suspension apparatus that can be preassembled and efficiently stacked for transport and storage prior to use, but which when installed and used also provides a ready indication to a shooter of a shot impact the via the use of a frangible target.